Cru dinner with Honig Wines

I don't normally write up notes from my James Beard dinners as it's generally primarily about the food, but I thought this dinner was worth an exception. I had picked the dinner based upon Board recommendations for the Honig wines (generally), so when I saw a dinner with Honig wines, which happened to be paired with the restaurant Cru, I jumped at the chance.

Of course, what I didn't know was that the Cru in question was not Shea Gallante's Cru from New York, but rather Shannon Yates' Cru from Fort Myers Florida. Nevertheless, I figured I was there for the wines primarily. Turns out, this southern Cru does a spectacular job - if you're ever in the Fort Myers area, I highly recommend checking this place out. If the restaurant itself demonstrates even half of the passion these guys showed at the Beard House, it's a place well worth seeking out.

Anyway - this was my first real experience with Honig wines. I had had one cabernet previously, which I had liked alot, but it was during a marathon session where I didn't really get the chance to give the wine all it's due. Tonight I found to be well worth the time, and I'll definitely be seeking out these wines in the future.

This bubbly was served with a variety of passed hors d'oeuvres:

Foie Gras Mousse with red onion-blood orange gelee (definitely my favorite)
Blue Spot Prawn and Salmon with horseradish-bacon creme fraiche
Petite Bruschetta with Crottin de Chavignol heirloom teardrop tomatoes
Beef Tartare with Pommaray Cream (didn't really do it for me)

• NV Philipponnat Champagne Royale Réserve Brut

  France, Champagne

  This sparkler was nice enough but nothing special whatsoever for me. Not as crisp and clean as some, not as nuanced as others. Overall, it was fine but nothing I'd seek out again.

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Once seated, the first course was served along with the 05 Napa Sauvignon Blanc. For me, this was a huge eye-openere. I've never had a SB that tasted like this. Maybe I've been looking in the wrong places, or maybe they're just very rare animals. Regardless, I was a huge fan (and I don't normally like SB's).

The Rutherford Sav Blanc to me was less interesting, even if it was a bit more complex. I just really enjoyed the crisp cleanness of the Napa SB that was somehow accomplished without turning it into a citrus bomb. Really an accomplishment based on my prior experiences.

Anyway - the 05 Napa was served with:
Salad of tat-Soi, Shaved Fennel, and Roasted Pears in a rosewater emulstion
and the 04 Rutherford was served with
Pan Flashed Wild Striped Bass, with sauteed root spinach and heirloom tomato coulis

• 2005 Honig Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley 92 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Wow - perhaps my favorite Sauvignon Blanc ever. Mostly because it's so different from so many sauvignon blancs. This is incredibly crisp and clean, without the huge grapefruit and grassiness on most SB's. Instead, this has the slightest gentle citrus - nose of lemonade and a touch of grapefruit, with a palate of crispm clean citrus and outstanding minerality. Really very enjoyable.

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• 2004 Honig Sauvignon Blanc Rutherford 90 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford

  I liked this SB alot, although not as much as the 05 Napa SB. The two were very different - the Rutherford was more structured and round, with less acidity - presumably a result of the oak treatment and malolactic fermentation. This was very nice, and was an excellent match with the pan flashed striped bass with tomato coulis. Very nice wine.

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The Honig 02 Napa Cab is for me what an elegant Napa cab should be all about. While there's something to be said for the huge monsters produced elsewhere, most of the time, I prefer a cab more in the style of an elegant, round but structured cab, much like this. The Bartalluci was also a very nice wine, but was to me very much a food wine, and was less enjoyable due to the high acid and tannin levels.

The Napa was served with
Crispy Moulard Duck Breast, with duck fat poached quail egg, parsnip puree, black truffles, and vanilla gastrique

The Bartalucci was served with
Braised Jamison Farm Rack of Lamb, with morel mushdoom and English pea la Nage and a blackberry pan sauce.

• 2002 Honig Cabernet Sauvignon 93 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  This was a truly excellent cab. Well better than many wines I've tasted at twice the price. Beautiful dark red fruits, plums, cherries. Incredible balance, and just beautiful acids, especially for a cab. Minerality in the form of potting soil and possibly graphite. Yum, yum, yummmm... Smooth, rich, and velvety. I really enjoyed this.

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• 2002 Honig Cabernet Sauvignon Bartolucci 89 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena

  Very different from the 02 Honig Napa cab, this was much more acidic, with substantial tannins which still need tome to integrate. Much fuller-bodied wine, but a touch angular at points. Needs food, but was outstanding with the rare rack of lamb.

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The LH SB was a very interesting wine, but somewhat dwarfed by the others tonight, as well as being overpowered a bit by all the desserts except the peach soup - which was just a pairing made in heaven.

Dessert was a trifecta:
Chilled Peach Soup
Dark Chocolate Creme Brulee with Italian teleggio crisp
White Chocolate Cream Pistachio Millegeuille with siagon cinnamon sauce

• 2005 Honig Sauvignon Blanc Late Harvest Rutherford 88 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford

  A very interesting wine. I'm told it's fully botryticized (is that a word?). This was outstanding with the chilled peach soup, less good with the chocolate and pistachio. Notes of pear and lemon, good acids, a touch tart, with a very nice sweetness overlaying everything. Very intriguing wine - not great but quite enjoyable.

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A great dinner, and a great revelation for me in finding a new winery.